KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 19 (Bernama) -- The government should consider providing a special allocation for Islamic tourism under Budget 2027 to strengthen Kuala Lumpur’s position as a global hub for Islamic tourism and trade, said Malaysia Tourism Agency Association (MATA) president Datuk Seri Dr Mohd Khalid Harun.
He said government support was crucial in developing the emerging Islamic meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) sector, which could generate wider economic benefits beyond tourism.
“This is the first time, therefore, the government should think about how to help us promote Kuala Lumpur as a global hub for Islamic MICE,” he said in an interview after appearing on Bernama TV’s The Nation programme today.
Mohd Khalid said a dedicated allocation would enable industry players to expand promotional and business initiatives while strengthening Malaysia’s position in the increasingly competitive global Islamic tourism and MICE market.
He added that Islamic tourism should not be viewed solely as a segment catering to Muslim travellers but as an economic ecosystem that applies Islamic values across various sectors, including tourism, trade, Islamic finance, healthcare, takaful and halal products.
“The economic impact of tourism extends across multiple sectors, from aviation, accommodation and food to retail, tour operators and other tourism-related services,” he said.
He also highlighted the importance of technology in strengthening Malaysia’s competitiveness, particularly by making it easier for travellers to identify Muslim-friendly accommodation, halal food outlets, shopping destinations and other tourism-related services.
He said the potential of Islamic tourism extended beyond Muslim-majority countries, with non-Muslim countries such as China, the Philippines, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, Australia and New Zealand also showing interest in attracting Muslim travellers.
Mohd Khalid said platforms such as the World Islamic Tourism Trade & Expo (WITEX) played an important role in bringing these sectors together under one roof, creating opportunities for businesses, destination owners, investors and small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to establish partnerships.
The upcoming WITEX 2026, now in its fourth edition, will feature participation from countries including Zambia, Algeria, Egypt, Turkiye, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, the Philippines and China.
The event, to be held at the World Trade Centre Kuala Lumpur (WTCKL) from Aug 21 to 23, will also feature conferences, a ministerial summit, a Quran convention and the World Cultural Arts Festival.
-- BERNAMA